Key Accounts Manager

SUMMARY:
Our client is one of South Africa's fastest-growing nicotine distributors, supplying major retail chains, forecourt networks and independent trade across all nine provinces.
They are looking for a commercially driven Key Accounts Sales Manager to take ownership of and grow key national retail relationships. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing relationships with major retail buyers and accounts teams, securing new listings, driving sell-through, maintaining product availability and resolving commercial and operational queries.
This is a high-visibility, high-accountability role suited to an experienced FMCG Key Account Manager who understands the South African retail environment and can confidently operate at buyer level while also ensuring strong execution in stores.
The ideal candidate will be commercially astute, highly organised and data-driven, with the ability to turn strong customer relationships into measurable revenue growth.

POSITION INFO:
Key Responsibilities Key Account Management & Relationships Manage the day-to-day relationships with assigned national key accounts, including buyers, category managers, accounts payable and store operations teams. Act as the primary escalation point for customer queries, claims, disputes, short deliveries and credit-note matters. Conduct regular buyer meetings and business reviews with key accounts. Maintain a strong understanding of each account's processes, payment terms, promotional calendars and ranging cycles. Develop and maintain accurate contact matrices for each key account. Sales Growth & Commercial Performance Drive revenue and volume growth within existing key accounts through improved ranging, secondary placement and promotional activity. Identify opportunities for new store listings, new SKU introductions and seasonal ranges. Negotiate trading terms, promotional support and listing opportunities within approved commercial frameworks. Monitor account-level sales and sell-through data to identify underperforming SKUs and growth opportunities. Prepare and present commercially sound business cases for new product listings. Identify opportunities to increase market share and product penetration across managed accounts. Drop Shipments, Statements & Account Administration Manage the end-to-end drop shipment submission process for assigned accounts. Ensure invoice schedules, consolidated statements, proof of delivery documentation and reconciliations are accurately prepared and submitted within required deadlines. Follow up on outstanding payments and resolve deduction queries in conjunction with the Finance team. Coordinate credit-note processing where required. Maintain accurate query logs covering POD requests, claims, deductions and unresolved account queries. Debtors & Overdue Account Management Monitor debtor ageing for assigned national accounts. Proactively follow up on overdue invoices and work to prevent accounts moving into 60+ and 90+ day ageing buckets. Investigate and resolve claims and payment disputes by obtaining relevant PODs, delivery confirmations and invoice records. Work closely with Finance to resolve outstanding account issues. Escalate accounts exceeding agreed payment terms with a clear summary of the issue and recommended action. Reporting & Forecasting Provide weekly account performance updates to management, covering revenue, outstanding balances, open queries and potential risks. Contribute to monthly sales forecasts based on historical sales, order patterns, promotional activity and ranging changes. Track distribution, planogram compliance and on-shelf availability through regular store visits. Maintain accurate records of trading agreements, promotional confirmations and buyer correspondence. Analyse account performance and provide recommendations to improve sales and profitability. Cross-Functional Collaboration Work closely with Finance on statement submissions, deduction resolution and debtor management. Collaborate with Operations to resolve delivery issues, short shipments and service-level concerns. Provide buyer feedback and market\/ranging insights to the Commercial Manager. Support product development and procurement decisions through customer and market feedback. Work with the field sales team to support in-store activations, promotions and account-level queries. Ensure key account requirements are communicated effectively across the wider business. Key Performance Areas Revenue Growth: Achieve month-on-month and year-on-year revenue targets across assigned accounts. New Listings: Secure new SKU, store and ranging opportunities within key accounts. On-Shelf Availability: Maintain strong product availability and execution across managed stores. Account Retention: Maintain and grow existing key account relationships with minimal unplanned delistings. Debtor Management: Keep overdue account balances within agreed targets, with particular focus on 60+ and 90+ day debt. Statement Accuracy: Ensure accurate and timeous submission of invoices, statements and supporting documentation. Query Resolution: Resolve POD, claims, deductions and account queries efficiently. Customer Relationships: Build strong, long-term relationships with buyers, category managers and key account stakeholders. Minimum Requirements Minimum 3 years' experience in Key Account Management, National Account Sales or a similar FMCG sales role. Proven experience managing major South African retail chains such as Pick n Pay, SPAR, OK Foods, Makro or equivalent . Strong understanding of the FMCG retail environment , including trading terms, drop shipments, promotional mechanics and planograms. Experience managing invoice submissions, statement reconciliations and deduction disputes with major retailers. Excellent communication, relationship-building and negotiation skills. Comfortable engaging with buyers, senior stakeholders and escalation matters. Strong commercial and analytical ability. Highly organised with excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple accounts and deadlines. Proficient in Microsoft Excel , including working with ageing reports, invoice schedules and reconciliation spreadsheets. Valid driver's licence and own reliable vehicle . Relevant qualification, such as BCom, NDip Sales\/Marketing\/Business or equivalent . Advantageous Experience The following would be strong differentiators: Experience within the nicotine, vaping, tobacco or regulated FMCG sector . Experience working with Sage Evolution or a similar ERP system . Familiarity with SPAR drop shipment submission processes . Experience with Pick n Pay supplier portals and statement submission processes . Proven track record of resolving deduction disputes and recovering short-paid invoices. Experience supporting or working closely with a field sales team . Exposure to national forecourt accounts . Strong understanding of retail ranging, merchandising and promotional execution.